Linsey Fordyce

Level: EC-6
Content Area: All subjects
An aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do

Linsey Fordyce

Philosophy on Classroom Management and Discipline

Although I student learning in my classroom is important, I cannot teach or let the

students learn without a strong classroom management. My personality is laid back, but I know
when it is time to buckle down. I believe that when a teacher is uptight and always worrying, it
affects their students. The students will begin to feel that worry, which will not help the overall
success in the classroom. I am a medium control teacher. I like to give the students the
opportunity to feel that they have some say in their classroom, but I think as a medium control
teacher, the students still know that the teacher is ultimately in charge.
My teaching style varies, but I like to keep my students constantly motivated. Rarely will
I ever just lecture an idea or lesson and just give the students bookwork or a worksheet. I like to
be creative. As a teacher, I know students like games, activities, technology and etc. If a student
is playing a game, they dont feel like its a chore or boring classwork, but rather a fun activity.
As I said, I am a medium control teacher, in which I like to give the students opportunities to
show their opinions. At the end of every week of class Ill tell the students the topic for the
lessons for the next week. Then I will allow the students to think of an activity or game that we
could do that would appropriate and relevant to that topic. Little things like this lets the students
make some decisions for the class.
The purpose of creating a classroom management plan is to create a successful classroom
for the students. My philosophy on classroom management would have to be to catch it before it
happens. Prevent the misbehavior or challenging students. Another idea that I live by and tell my
students to live by in my classroom, is that everyone deserves respect. Emphasizing respect in
the classroom is one of the keys in my classroom management plan. If I respect the students,
they will begin to respect me as a teacher. Creating mutual respect among others, as a teacher,
will help preventing misbehavior. Many students act out because they do not respect their
teacher, or feel they arent respected. I will stop acting out by using mutual respectfulness in my
classroom at all times. Students need to feel comfortable, respected and welcomed my
classroom, so in order for them to feel this way, I need to learn more about their lives and
backgrounds. This shows the student that they are not just another student, but they are a student
I care about.

Classroom Arrangement

I would arrange my students in 5 groups of four. They will be labeled table 1-5. The
teachers desk would be near the back corner of the room. The Kidney table will be on the same
wall as the teacher desk, but closer to the door. The projector/smartboard, as well as the mini
easel/whiteboard, will be in front of the rug. The Tv, as shown will be out of the way in the
corner. All of the storage materials will be beside the teachers desk. The wall space will be used
for weekly reminders, students work, classroom rules and procedures, student jobs for the week,
as well school wide rules.
The teachers desk is in the back corner in order to see all the students. This will help the
teacher correct misbehaviors in a quick manner. The storage supplies will also be in the back
corner with the teachers desk, so the students wont get into the storage area or become
distracted. The square rug, smart board, and whiteboard are all together because it is the best way
to have all the students in one place, and close, so they can see and participate. The desks are in
groups because my class will have discussions and games integrated in lessons. With these
integrated activities, students will need to be in groups, and this arrangement already has students
in assigned groups. I also added bean bag chairs near the shelves, on the top of the diagram,
because those are used to hold books. If students have completed their work, they can go get a
book and sit at either their desk or a beanbag. This will give them incentive to finish their work.
The other shelves, on the wall, near the door, are placed there because they hold the students
backpacks. When they enter and exit, they can leave and pick up their bags in an orderly fashion.

Rules

In my classroom, rules are general behavioral standards that are intended to be followed.
The purpose of rules is to provide guidelines to students so they will express appropriate

behavior, which will create a successful learning and teaching environment. I always will hold
high expectations for my students, and behaviors are no different. I expect my students to be
respectful and follow the rules that will be posted and reviewed at the beginning of the year. I
understand students sometimes forget a rule or two every once in a while, so I will allow few
reminders to the students of the rules. After the first six weeks of school has gone by, I will then
expect them to carry out the rules without reminders. Some of the rules that I will have in my
classroom are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

We will come to class ready and prepared

We will follow Directions
We will be polite to others
We will raise your hand for questions, comments, or permission to speak
We will not talk when the teacher is talking
We will comply with the district and school rules

When determining these rules, I will create a list of basic rules (above), but I will also allow
students to help determine, at least four, more rules as a class. When letting the students create
these rules, I will let the students and I discuss ideas of different rules. After collecting the
appropriate ideas, I will let the class vote on four of those rules that they would like to be posted
on the wall.
A week prior to school starting, I will send out a newsletter to the students parents that will
have the basic classroom rules on it; it will also explain that we will be going over the rules and
expectations on the first day of class. On the first day of class, I will begin explaining the basic
rules to the class, we will create four new rules as a class, and then I will post the rules on the
wall as a reminder to the students.

Responses to Misbehaviors

There are so many types of misbehaviors, but I believe the main constitutes of
misbehaviors are calling out, not following directions, not coming to class prepared, and being
impolite. Sometimes a student that is off task may look like misbehavior, but there are many
differences. To distinguish when a some actions by students help me distinguish that they are off
task, such as a student that is texting, working on other work from another class, daydreaming, or
using the restroom too often. In order to prevent misbehaviors and keep students on task in the
classroom, I need to make sure directions are clear and of course monitor students. If the
directions are clear and I am closely monitoring the students, they usually will worry that the

teacher is coming, which will keep them on task. Another way to prevent misbehaviors and
keep students on task is to have supplies ready and at their desk. This will not let the student
have a reason to wander around the classroom. When a student misbehaves, I will use the three
strikes and youre out method:
1. If the student does not comply with one of the rules, I will tell the student what they are
doing wrong, and tell the student that it is their first strike.
2. If the student is continuing to misbehave, I will send the student to cool down. The sub
will then set the timer for five minutes (strike 2).
3. If the student misbehaves after cool down, I will move the students clothespin down a
color. Strike 3. I will continue to follow this method. If a student continues after strike 3,
I will contact the students parents.
This method will be used for mild and moderate misbehaviors. If the misbehavior is severe I may
have to send them to strike two or maybe every have a parent conference, depending on the
severity.

Procedures
The purpose of a procedure is to tell students what their expected to do and to ensure
smooth transitions and following of directions throughout the school day. Without classroom
procedures, the classroom will not be a successful one. To me, procedures facilitate teaching and
learning. Using classroom procedures allows me to focus more time on teaching instruction,
rather than routines. Sometimes rules and procedures are seen as the same, but they are not. I
believe rules are general guidelines for student behaviors, whereas procedures are more detailed
expectations to use for classroom tasks.
I have many procedures in my plan, but my main procedures include: class starter, using
the restroom, getting water, how to ask for supplies, classroom jobs, class transition, centers, and
end of the day procedures. I have learned classroom starters are the best way to get the students
seated and focused for the day. Also by creating a class starter, it is a great way for me to take
roll in a quick and easy manner. I will teach the basic procedures such as using the restroom,
getting water, and class starter on the first day of class because these are used most frequently.
When teaching them how to do each procedure, I will do the procedure myself. After showing
the students how to do the procedure, I will let the students practice the procedure. Students learn
by seeing and doing, so when they are practicing the procedure, they are learning it and creating
a muscle memory.

Creating a respective, supportive learning environment

The classroom atmosphere itself has strong correlation to the students attitudes and
success in the classroom. The atmosphere in my classroom will be positive, safe, and open to
communication. I want the students to be able to come into the classroom and want to be there.
In order to create this type of atmosphere, at the beginning of the year, I want to build a
classroom community so the students feel that they are all involved. I also want to show the
students that in this community that we are creating, that we respect others. And the last main
aspect of creating this positive atmosphere, is teaching my students that bullying will not be
allowed in my classroom and why.
To have positive relationships in the classroom, I will have Medium level of dominance. I
will establish rules and basic procedures during the first week of school, use disciplinary
interventions to follow up misbehaviors, I will use positive body language and tone of voice, and
always establish goals for my students. To help students assume responsibility for their behavior,
I will teach students self-monitoring, control, problem solving and social skill strategies. To
maintain and reinforce appropriate student behavior I will give students the opportunity to have a
classroom job every week, but only if they are on their best behavior. This will help the student
self-monitor themselves. Cooperation is also extremely important in my classroom. To keep
cooperation in my classroom, I will provide flexible learning goals, take personal interest in
students lives, be positive, and respond appropriately to students when they are incorrect.
I see diversity in every classroom I have been placed and will take this into consideration
in my own classroom. Diversity to me isnt just a students race, but it is differences in values,
beliefs, attitudes, and rules that define regional, ethnic, religious, or other cultures. To create a
inclusive multicultural class I will celebrate diversity and show appreciation by letting the
students contribute to the rich variety of ideas and actions in the classroom. Special needs is also
a diversity. For students with specials need I will still set the expectation that all students can
succeed. I will also encourage, be enthusiastic, and show all my students that I care about all of
them and recognize their diversity.

Managing and Facilitating Instruction

My lessons will be structured with the instruction itself, activities, practice and then an
independent practice. Facilitating instruction may be difficult, but I will use many transitions,
that will create a successful classroom. The purpose of transitions are to allow the classroom to
run successfully without having students confused on whats next or where to go. I will organize
my classroom so transitions will be made easily. Using an arrangement allows students to move
freely without disturbing others during transition. I will have a daily schedule posted, which will

eliminate confusion for the students. I will also have materials ready to go, so the students dont
waste my instruction time while they get ready for class.
The beginning and end of lessons are so important for students because I want to hook
the student in the beginning of the lesson, but I also want them to want to learn more after the
lesson. I will always begin my lesson with some type of motivation to get the students intested in
the topic I will be teaching that day. At the end of each lesson I will end with some type of
review so the students know I am moving on to something new.
During my lessons, I will do a lot of group work. Grouping of my students will depend
on the type of instruction I am giving that day. If I want the students to work in small groups
with me, I will group the students by skill level. If I am allowing group work during class, I will
evenly distribute skill levels so students can collaborate. While I am delivering my lesson there
are many ways I will manage. I will motivate, create smooth lesson, keep on topic, keep steady
momentum, remove distraction, use attention getting strategies, and question effectively. I will
also have modifications for diverse learners in my lessons. I will base my modifications be based
on skill level and diversity. To make these modifications, I will concentrate on the students
strengths, not their weaknesses. Strength overcomes problems, weaknesses amplify them. My
lessons will also integrate technology. I will incorporate technology in all subjects through
games, ebooks, and/or research. After these lessons, I will assess these students on what they
have learned. I will assess student learning in severl ways including formal and informal
assessments. Some of these may include giving students feedback or keep record of student
work. I also take into account that teachers cant grade everything, but knowing what to grade
and what not to grade is important.

Motivating
Motivation is what drives students to learn, so I will do all that I can to motivate my
students. Motivation has four dimensions: interest, relevance, expectancy, and satisfaction. I
believe that teachers need to capture students interests by a lesson that can be relatable to their
lives. I will include motivational strategies in my instructions by capturing students interest in
the subject matter, selecting topics and tasks that interest students, setting the stage at the start of
the lesson, stating learning objectives/expectations, and using questions and activities to capture
their interest in the content. I will take time sto understand what my students see as important or
interesting maybe through using webs, questionnaires, or just listening to students. I will
incorporate topics that students find exciting such as current events. When starting a lesson, I
will keep the activity brief and related to the content. I will also ask many questions that will
increase my students curiosity or suspense and provide opportunities for student to express their
opinions. To plan for active student involvemtn, I will creat active and social-built activities by
varying multiple intellegences. At the end of every week, I will tell the students what we will be

going over the next week, and they will have the opportunity to submit an idea or activity that
may relate to that lesson topic. If I find the idea or activity fun and relevant I may include it into
my lesson plan. I would do this because then the students feel they are contributing to the
classroom activities. To include motivational strategies in my evaluation and feedback, I will
provide rewards as incentives. These rewards will be contingent on mastery or performance level
that that student can achieve with their effort. When students make mistake, I do not what them
to feel they have failed. I will explain to students that everyone makes mistake, including myself.
This will let the student understand that making mistakes isnt the end of the world. I will also
teach these students if they dont rush, they will be successful.

Promoting Safety and Wellness

Safety and wellness is an important key for a successful classroom. To provide a physical
and emotionally safe environment for students in my classroom, I will build a classroom
community, talk about bullying, prevent bullying, and create a safe place for students that may
need a break. Sometimes there will be chronic misbehavior, and to manage this misbehavior, I
will foresee problems, be fair and consistent, show respect demonstrate that I care, and give
advice to these students with chronic misbehavior. I understand that I will always have
challenging students, so to manage these students, I will keep all the students busy, constantly
monitor and react quickly, use situation assistance, and use different types of responses to
challenging students such as mild, verbal, and moderate.
Sometimes misbehavior can become disruptive or violent in the classroom. There are
many ways to respond to and prevent this behavior. To prevent these situations, I will establish
rules, procedures, consequences, and reinforcements. I will make a commitment to help these
students succeed and establish a plan to deal with each student. I will also display withitness,
overlapping, desist, and avoid satiation to prevent misbehavior in challenging students. If a
situation does occur with a challenging student, I will do a number of things, such as, assessing
the situation, meeting with the student, consulting others, providing positive support, and seeking
outside help with I feel it is necessary. I personally would like to fix the misbehavior in the
classroom, but if it is necessary, I will go to the Principal, counselor, behavior specialist, etc. to
fix this misbehavior.

Interacting with Parents, Colleagues, and Others

Parents play such an important role in the classroom. Parentss attitude affects their
childs attitude in school. If the parent is negative towards school, the childs attitude may be the
same, vice versa. I am only with the students around seven hours a day, five days a week,

whereas the parents are with them all the other times. Parents support the students at home. They
may help the student with homework, completing projects, going on field trips. Parents also
teach their children about hygiene and health, which is something teachers may not have time to
teach.
This is why it is so important for me to communicate with my students parents. I will
communicate with parents in order to build that positive relationship, which will create a
successful classroom environment. I will communicate with parents through letters; take home
folders, conferences, newsletters, webpage/email, report cards, and conferences. Take home
folders will be taken home daily, newsletters will go out every Friday to let the students know
what they will be doing the next week, and report cards and conferences will be done every six
weeks. I will also put the newsletter on the webpage or email every week as well, just in case
they do not receive the letter from their child. I also will use a behavior app that allows parents
to see how their child is behaving that day as well as the option of emailing me with questions. I
want to create open communication so the parents feel as if they are invited into our learning
community.
Colleges and other administrators play a Vitol role in my learning community as well. I
will get ideas from their classroom, which may or may not work when managing their classroom.
Colleagues provide advice and counsel, share resources, and help during team planning to make
my classroom as successful as possible.